


Night of the Wraith

by Stormxx



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Admiration From Afar, Alternate Universe, F/M, Obsession, Reader-Insert, Wraith Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, maybe smut later?, reaper is a big softie for reader, slight stalking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 06:55:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21193457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormxx/pseuds/Stormxx
Summary: The echoes of a man still remains, battered and broken. Anger tethers him to this world, free to walk the earth as pieces of his former self for only one night out of the year.And that night has finally arrived.





	Night of the Wraith

It was the one night of the year where he was powerful enough to shift from his ethereal form into the shell of a man he once was. All hallows Eve, the one time his flesh didn't rend from bone and cause him excruciating pain. He was a shadow, he knew that, knew that no one would love him in the way he'd once hoped in his younger years underneath the California sun. Once warm skin now boasted a sickly pale tone in the moonlight, scars cascading across his body, a painting of battles both old and new. 

His heart , he deemed, had withered and rotted long ago along with his old name. He was only known by Reaper now, and out of pure anger he wanted to live up to that name. He'd hunt and scare, draining life wherever it could be found. 

He waited with silent excitement for his one night to arrive. 

In preparation he hid in shadows, searching for his victim. He liked the vibrant souls the most , ones that went off like a supernova and lit up an entire room, those were the most satisfying souls to snuff out. The thought of his hands wrapped around their necks as the life drained from their eyes sent a shiver through him, plumes of smoke dancing in the wind. 

Of course, that was his plan before the night he met you. 

One early fall night you'd caught his eye, walking down a dark neighboring street. You seemed unbothered by the darkness , unlike many of his prey before. It was a slow but elegant walk, earphones plugged in as your shadow grew and shrunk in the passing lamplight. His curiosity peaked as you abruptly stopped at the old cemetery gates, peaking around to check for any passerbys before jumping the gate as if you'd done so countless times before. 

His fondness grew as you sat amongst old gravestones jutting up from the ground with overgrowth and moss slowly creeping up their decaying visages. He half expected you to pull out some candles and perform a seance, but he knew you were too special to pull off something so cheesy. 

With each passing moment as you sat with your face tilted up just staring into the cloudless sky he grew more and more attached. By the nights end he was absolutely fascinated with the woman who would rather be in the company of the dead. It kick-started a feeling he hadn't felt since the building came crashing down on him almost 15 years ago. That was the night he decided he'd do something much different with his one chance to be alive again. 

Reaper had kept tabs on you throughout the season, noting with each passing day how his strength returned. Planning, waiting, for the night he could finally leave his mark on you. 

October 31st couldn't come fast enough and as dusk began to break into the cloudless fall of night his body became whole once again. It hurt like hell, stowing away in an old mausoleum as his body returned , cold sweat covering an equally cold body , hands reaching to dig claw marks into forgotten marble. Finally restored , he took in deep and gasping breaths as every nerve in his body seemed to light up at once as he attempted to stand. 

He knew if he didn't feed he would surely wither away but there was something about the woman who sat in the dead of night amongst forgotten tombs that he wanted even more. A certain longing that surprised even him. 

The bone white mask he donned illuminated as he rose from the decaying mausoleum, material almost giving off a silver hue from the full moon that shone high in the night sky. The air was cold and crisp as it passed down his throat, relishing in the feeling of sensation once again. 

Cloak fluttering behind him , Reaper made his way to the main gate , still standing in the shadows as the first bit of lamplight fell against his black clothes. In all his wandering fantasies of you he hadn't stopped for a moment to actually consider how he would make himself known to you. The thought of scaring you away became a very tangible reality that made his stomach twist. 

As if he'd conjured you out of his own pure whim you began walking down the old cobblestone. He tucked further back into overgrown vines, waiting with baited breath as you neared. You looked… divine to him. Before , when he was weaker and not completely whole it was hard to put words to the feelings of a wraith. But now, with his heart beating in his chest and his head swimming at all the possibilities it dawned on him that this was an inkling of love. 

So it saddened him when you continued on down the pathway, tossing only a small glance at the old cemetery. Reaper bit his lip, claws digging into the material of his cloak. You were dressed all in black with an oversized scarf around your neck , hugging your coat tight against your body. How he wished he could remove it from you and wrap his large arms around you in its stead. But that idea was quickly dissipating with every step you took away from him.

No! This wasn't right. You were supposed to come to the cemetery as you'd done so often before. He was sure that out of all the nights this would be the one. This would be the night he'd reveal himself to you. 

It hurt to turn to smoke, but for you he'd endure the pain ten times over. The wraith followed you down the street, your feet kicking up wisps of fog and the essence of him with each tap against the pavement. Kids walked pass, toting large bags of candy and hooping and hollering as you went along but paid them no mind. 

You stopped at a house a few minutes later, walking up the steps to an extravagantly decorated house, the music inside shaking the windows with its bass alone. You seemed reluctant, in his eyes at least, as you reached for the doorbell. Quickly you were greeted and whisked away to a place where he couldn't follow and that angered him. 

What the hell was he doing? It hit him hard as heat bubbled in his gut, he shouldn't have given in to such a silly notion. Shouldn't have even entertained the idea in the first place. It crossed his mind to fulfill his hunger and find some life force to steal and spend the remainder of his time truly alive somewhere where he didn't have to think about you. 

But maybe one more peek wouldn't hurt. 

He rounded the back of the house , smoke dancing through fog before rematerializing. There you were, in a sea of colorful costumes in all black and a red Solo cup in hand, not looking the least bit happy. He wondered if you'd been forced into this party. If you were thinking about sitting under a cloudless sky on forgotten graves with him instead. You were so beautiful and he wished nothing more than to run his claws through your hair. 

He wondered, would you be afraid? 

Hours ticked by as you talked with very few people and spent the rest of your time not doing much at all. He wondered if he would spend his whole night there at that window, but that was thought was interrupted when his view of you was ruined by someone standing in his way in a skimpy Halloween costume. He growled low in his chest when he noticed the fear that lined your features when the woman moved slightly to the right. Reaper wanted so desperately to charge in, but there was nothing he could do without permission to enter. 

A fight broke out and he watched as blood boiled when the girl who confronted you poured the contents of her drink on you. There was booing while others chanted 'fight' as you rose from your seat, eyes full of fury. Reaper thought for sure it would come to blows but you turned and bolted for the exit, pulling your coat and scarf on as you went. 

He followed you down the path you'd both walked down hours before, his heart beating like a drum thinking you could disappear into the night without a trace. Without even looking , blinded by anger and humiliation you jumped the cemetery fence and made your way down graveled paths, leaves crunching under your heels. 

Tentatively Reaper followed, not making a sound. 

You stopped at the usual place , sitting down with your back against one of the graves, head resting against the cold stone. Tears pricked at the corner of your eyes but you made no sound as you wiped at the corners with a coat sleeve. 

In smoke and darkness he waited, unsure of exactly what to do. Seeing you so distraught made him hurt, as much as a surprise as that was to him. 

"Fuck." Were the first words that left your lips, voice wavering from fighting back tears. 

"Come here often?" His asked with a deep rasp, voice even more scratchy from being unused. Shit, he really hadn't thought this out at all. 

"Who's there?!" You called out weakly, body pushed up against the gravestone , teetering between fight or flight. "Tom, if that's you playing a fucking game I am not having it tonight! Your friends are assholes and all I wanted to do was fit in for once!!" The words spit like venom. 

"Wrong guy." Reaper spoke back plainly , stepping out into the moonlight , surrendering himself completely to you , begging wordlessly that you wouldn't run from him. 

"YOU!" Your voice nearly cracked , standing up and nearly tripping back against the gravestone. 

"Me?" Reaper asked back, perplexed. 

Your hands shook, eyes wide and glassy against the pale moon, "I've seen you before. Here at night when I… come to clear my head.". 

"You've… seen me?" 

"What are you?" You asked , still horrified but equally intrigued. 

Reaper stood silent, hands curling at his sides as he looked at you through the cavernous holes in his mask. He hadn't thought this through and the fact you stood before him was enough to make his mind go blank with explanations. 

"A wraith." He whispered low. 

"Bullshit." You spat back. 

And like that the tall, dark man in front of you vanished into scattering black mist , startling you so much you fell over and it felt like time stopped. All at once the smoke surged towards you and in a blink of an eye you felt the cool tendrils wrap across your body and held you up. "W-what the--" you managed as the man reappeared, hands wrapped around your waist. 

He froze as your wide eyes set on his. He could smell you, invading his senses and driving him mad. He wanted you so badly , but could see the fear etched into every crevice of your face. He pulled you to your feet and promptly let go ,leaving you to stare back at the headstone that would have surely been your demise had he not saved you. 

"T-thank you." you managed at last, voice small. "Have… you been following me?" 

Reaper fell silent again, "I find you very interesting." He admitted at last.

You quirked a brow at that , "And all the other nights you've been here why show up now?" 

"The other nights?" He chuckled , noting how you shivered at his deep laugh, "maybe it's you who has been following me?" 

There it was, a deep blush that rested on your cheeks as you looked away from him, "I-i usually come here to be alone, but something felt strange, like a shadow in the corner of my eye that always felt close. At first I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me but wanted to be sure." 

"Looks like I've been caught." He said low, testing your comfort level by taking another step closer. You didn't budge, so he stepped closer. "I've been waiting for you." He sighed out, "and it seems you've been waiting for me too.". 

Reapers claws hooked under your chin, lifting your head to meet his eyes. He grinned under the mask, seeing your frightened look shift into something completely different. Your fingers cautiously moved upwards, finding the corners of his mask , making his heart jump in his chest.

"You won't like what you see." He warned. 

"I don't care." You whispered, entranced. 

The mask hissed as the seal popped, your smaller hands pulling away the skull mask to reveal the remnants of Gabriel Reyes that lay beneath. His eyes were crimson, surrounded by black , his face marred with scars that stretched from his defined cheekbones and over a strong nose. Thick brows furrowed as they drank in your reaction , thick goatee framing his mouth. 

Instead of disgust he saw awe in your eyes and that shocked him. Never in a million years would ge imagine seeing that look on anyone's face again. He only imagined a face like his to instill fear. 

The faintest bit of dawn peaked above the horizon, his heart sinking. His one night and he barely spent any of it with you. And yet it hadn't felt like a waste. 

"What's wrong?" You asked, noticing the pained expression that passed through red eyes. 

"I don't have much time… and I haven't fed." He growled, smoke rising from his dark curls as they danced in the air. 

It hurt him more to see the look on your face, "what do you mean?" 

" I only had tonight and I… wanted to see you. But I don't think I have enough energy to make it another year." He spoke through gritted teeth now.

"No!" You cried out, "Please , take whatever you need from me." . 

"You don't know what you’re asking." He let out a pained sigh, averting his eyes to the withering ground. 

“Please.” You begged once more, hand resting against one cold cheek, “I don’t want you to fade away.” 

His taloned fingers met yours, resting against his marred face, eyes gazing into yours, “Just enough...to last through the year.”. 

His lips met yours as the first rays of the morning sun hit your skin, mouth hungry for you. Reaper could feel you grow rigid in his grasp, nervous that you’d pull away and run from him yet here you stayed, now pushing back into his embrace as strong arms engulfed you. With each passing moment more smoke billowed from his body, giving way to muscle and bone that lay beneath. You grew weaker as the kiss deepened, your life force draining. And yet you felt an irresistible gravitation towards the man in black who held you as if you were the last thing he’d ever touch again. 

The moment was gone far too soon as he broke away, eyes emitting plumes of smoke into the dawn. Pieces of him became the air around you, a black fog that swept beneath your feet. You felt cold and warm all at once, his arms no longer holding you with the same amount of strength, his power melting away with the rays of the sun. 

“What’s your name?” You asked weakly, low in a whisper as he held you the best he could with his decaying body. 

“Gabriel.” He echoed , just as weak. 

“Gabriel.” You repeated, eyes glassy as you stumbled back, his hand reaching for you and pulling you back with the only strength he had left. 

“Wait for me…” His voice was nothing more than a whisper, “Please.”. 

You nodded, too weak to reply, head rolling back and though Gabriel tried to keep you upright his hands exploded into black mist, a wailing erupting from his chest. With a thud you crashed into the soft earth, leaves crunching beneath your exhausted body as he withered away in the rising sun. 

His one night was up

**Author's Note:**

> Soft reaper hits me in all the good places! There will be a second chapter though I am... Tentative about adding smut? Let me know if that's something you'd want to see in the next chapter or not. 
> 
> As always thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the Halloween special.


End file.
